Congress

Chapter 9

Why was Congress Created?

• framers experienced the weakness of the congress under the Articles of Confederation

• “The Great Compromise”

• Bicameralism

• Article 1, sec 1 of constitution:

“All Legislative powers shall be vested in Congress”

The Functions of Congress

• Lawmaking• representation

– as a trustee

– as an instructed delegate

– as a combination of roles

• oversight

• public education- press conference, floor debate etc.

• conflict resolution- accommodation laws

The Powers of Congress

• Enumerated powers (Article I, section 8):– impose taxes– borrow and spend money– regulate commerce– coin money– establish court system– declare war– raise an army

Powers of Senate

• Treaties

• Remove officials from office

• Filibuster

• Presidential nominations

The Powers of Congress (cont.)

• Implied powers– from the necessary and proper clause– from the Supreme Court’s ruling in

McCulloch v Maryland (1819)• allows Congress to enact laws directly

related to the enumerated powers

Differences Between the House and the Senate

© 2004 Wadsworth Publishing / Thomson Learning™

Congressional Electionsoperated by individual state governments

House of Representatives• elected every two years• by popular ballot• number of seats is

determined by population• each state has at least

one representative• each district has about a

half million residents

U.S. Senate• elected every six years• by popular ballot • one third of the Senate is

elected every two years• each state has two

Senators

Congressional Reapportionment

• reapportionment – determining the amount of seats in the House of Rep among states after each census

&• redistricting – the redrawing of the boundaries of

the districts within each state

– gerrymandering

The Committee Structure of Congress

• standing committees

• select committees

• conference committees

• House Rules Committee

Leadership in the U.S. Congress

U.S. Senate

• President of Senate

• President pro tem

Leadership in the U.S. Congress

House of Representatives

• Speaker of the House

Senate & House

• Majority Leaders

• Congressional Whips

Bills in house & senate• H.Con.Res. 4 (ih) Expressing the sense of the

Congress that the United States Postal Service should issue commemorative postage stamps honoring Americans who distinguished themselves by their service in the armed forces. [Introduced in House]

• H.Con.Res. 11 (ih) Requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in the Hall of the House of Representatives and the Chamber of the Senate. [Introduced in House]

• H.Con.Res. 19 (ih) Expressing the sense of Congress that the people of the United States should observe the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, a Nazi death camp during World War II, and honor all the victims of the Holocaust, and for other purposes. [Introduced in House

• H.Con.Res. 25 (rfs) Recognizing the contributions of Jibreel Khazan (Ezell Blair, Jr.), David Richmond, Joseph McNeil, and Franklin McCain, the ``Greensboro Four'', to the civil rights movement. [Referred in Senate]

•H.Con.Res. 44 (rfs) Recognizing the historical significance of the Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo. [Referred in Senate]

• ? of all bills become law

Discussion

• Why is it relatively easy to kill a bill in Congress?• How much power do congressional leaders have?• How is the average member of Congress different

from the average American?• Why do incumbents usually win reelection?• What are important differences between the

House and Senate?• Earmarks & pork• At issue: Redistricting pg 230• Representatives (p 241)